Initial Measurements of the Galaxy Angular Two-Point Correlation Function from the Digitized Palomar Observatory Sky Survey

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Session 71 -- Galaxy and CBR Distribution
Display presentation, Friday, January 14, 9:30-6:45, Salons I/II Room (Crystal Gateway)

[71.11] Initial Measurements of the Galaxy Angular Two-Point Correlation Function from the Digitized Palomar Observatory Sky Survey

\def\lo{\mathrel{\raise.3ex\hbox{$<$} \mkern-14mu \lower0.6ex\hbox{$\sim$}}} T.G.~Brainerd, N.~Weir, S.~Djorgovski (Caltech), U.Fayyad (JPL)

Analysis of the Palomar-STScI Digital Sky Survey (DPOSS) has only begun. The system we developed for this task, called SKICAT, is used to generate star and galaxy catalogs from the raw plate scans and CCD calibration frames. As a part of the initial scientific verification tests of the system, here we present results for the galaxy angular two-point correlation function, $w(\theta)$, on scales of $\sim 0.02$ to a few degrees for an area near the North Galactic Pole covering 4 adjacent Survey fields. The galaxy catalogs used are in two bands, from photographic IIIa-J plates, calibrated to Gunn $g$, and IIIa-F plates, calibrated to Gunn $r$. They reach an equivalent magnitude of $B \sim 21^m$ and include $\sim 2 \times 10^5$ galaxies. We will present our preliminary results for $w(\theta)$ as function of magnitude in the intervals $17^m \lo r \lo 20^m$ and $17^m \lo g \lo 20^m$. As more plates are processed, and the area covered by this analysis increases, we hope to constrain models of large-scale structure formation, such as the CDM scenario.

We acknowledge a partial support from the NASA contract NAS5-31348, the NSF PYI award AST-9157412, NSF grants AST-89-17765 and AST-89-13663, the Caltech President's fund, and JPL. Work at JPL is performed under a contract with the NASA.

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